Soundtracks a Go-Go or; Why Kenny Loggins shouldn't be allowed to breed.

[amerifolklegend]

So AFLette and I are at dinner tonight and talking about some really bad songs that we seem to love. Not a minute later, the song The Secret of my Success by Night Ranger came on and we started laughing. Not because of the timing of the song and the conversation, mind you, but just cause the song is downright comically bad.

Anyway, this got us thinking: There are songs written specifically for (or primarily used in) movies (good and bad) that easily would be hits even if the movie was never made. In fact, you could see them still being written even without the existance of the movie. For example:

Eye of the Tiger, by Survivor from Rocky III.
A View to a Kill, by Duran Duran from A View to a Kill.
Pretty in Pink, by Psychedelic Furs from Pretty in Pink.
Purple Rain, by Prince and The Revolution from Purple Rain.

But what we were trying to think of are more like the Secret of my Success' of the world; Songs that not only would not have been hits without the movie, they really would not have any business being made in the first place. Like:

Footloose, by Kenny Loggins from Footloose.
Maniac, by Michael Sembello from Flashdance.
Back in Time, by Huey Lewis & the News from Back to the Future.
Blaze of Glory, by Bon Jovi from Young Guns II.
Axel F, by Harold Faltermeyer from Beverly Hills Cop.
Man in Motion, by John Parr from St. Elmo's Fire.
Danger Zone, by (also) Kenny Loggins from Top Gun.

So give me some ideas of songs that really have no basis for existing outside of the movie they were written for. Oh, and one more thing, songs from Rocky Horror Picture Show and any song by randy Newman don't count cause they're too easy.

[MeridianFC]

"Pretty in Pink" existed prior to the movie of the same name. It was from "Talk Talk Talk" IIRC.

How's about that ********ing "Love Lift Us Up Where We Belong" **************** that was from that movie that I will not even write the name of. Jaysus.

[skipshady]

Bryan Adams' "Everything I Do" would have been a minor hit without Robin Hood instead of being the most annoying, agonizingly ubiquitous song of the early 90s.

[amerifolklegend]

"Pretty in Pink" existed prior to the movie of the same name. It was from "Talk Talk Talk" IIRC.

This is why I added the qualifier of "or used primarily in" at the begining. It was made most famous by Pretty in Pink.

How's about that ********ing "Love Lift Us Up Where We Belong" **************** that was from that movie that I will not even write the name of. Jaysus.

Well, sadly, I think that actually would be popular without An Officer and a Gentleman. We were going through a series of really bad love songs then and it pretty much fit right in.

[amerifolklegend]

Bryan Adams' "Everything I Do" would have been a minor hit without Robin Hood instead of being the most annoying, agonizingly ubiquitous song of the early 90s.

Oh, yeah, I completely agree. Who'd'a thunk that that movie would have sent that song into mass popularity though?

[amerifolklegend]

Oooh! I just thought a few more:

Black Suits Comin' (Nod Ya Head), by Will Smith from Men in Black II.
Wild Wild West, by Will Smith from Wild Wild West.
Ghostbusters, by Ray Parker, jr. from Ghostbusters.

[nicodemus]

Weird Science by Oingo Boingo from Weird Science

[FearM9]

Would that song "Hey Johnny" that was sung by a DeBarge from that robot movie count?

[FearM9]

And what about that one song from one of the "Karate Kid" movies...Peter Cetera sang it?

[nicodemus]

Nobody Does it Better by Carly Simon (written by Marvin Hamlisch) for The Spy Who Loved Me

[amerifolklegend]

Would that song "Hey Johnny" that was sung by a DeBarge from that robot movie count?Who's Johnny was the title.

And you bet your ass it would fit.

Sweet lord, the song makes no geedee sense whatsoever. They (DeBarge - pre-solo split) wrote a song about a flirtatious girl that El was falling for and all the nutcase could say was "who's Johnny?" smile in her special way.

********ing ridiculous.

[amerifolklegend]

And what about that one song from one of the "Karate Kid" movies...Peter Cetera sang it?

Glory of Love.

Well, that song - due to Peter Cetera's popularity at the time - would probably have been a hit anyhow.

God knows why.

[amerifolklegend]

Nobody Does it Better by Carly Simon (written by Marvin Hamlisch) for The Spy Who Loved Me

Oh, this is definately a good example. It was early on and most of the people on these boards would probably even know that it came from a movie (if they've even heard of it in the first place) much less know which one.

Yet without The Spy Who Loved Me, this now-laughable love songwould never have been released.

[amerifolklegend]

I think that a special honorable mention award should go to Physical by Olivia Newton-John.

Clearly this song should never have been a hit without being on the soundtrack to the really cheesy, early 80's musical movie about getting in shape, dancing, and young love.

Miraculously, however, Physical was a huge hit in spite of the fact that it never appeared on that soundtrack cause that movie never existed in the first place.


Amazing.

[yossarian]

Well sticking with the Bond theme....."For Your Eyes Only" by Sheena Easton.

That gets me thinking.....was there ever a song where they actually said the word "Octo**********" in it? [huh,uh,huuh...he said **********]

Edit: Wow, looky there, BS wouldn't let me say the title of a real Bond film. :p

[FearM9]

What about "Xanadu"?

[metroflip73]

This is one of the greatest threads ever.

I'm cracking up reading it at work. I hope I can contribute to this thing.

Good job, folks!

Like a knight in shining armor
from a long time ago...

[Crimen y Castigo]

Oooh! I just thought a few more:

Black Suits Comin' (Nod Ya Head), by Will Smith from Men in Black II.
Wild Wild West, by Will Smith from Wild Wild West.
Ghostbusters, by Ray Parker, jr. from Ghostbusters.

Those are criminal. Especially the first two.
Theres' also Celine Dion's Titanic screed.

But what's missing from this thread are 5 deadly words: "Music from and inspired by..."

I think this dastardly trend has waned a bit, but there have been a slew of dreadful albums associated with films -- mostly comprised of songs that aren't even in the damn movie.

The worst offender I can think of is the Mission Impossible 2 "soundtrack," which includes Limp Bizkit dancing on the corpse of the Mission Impossible theme. That song's probably in the movie, but I know many were not.

[yossarian]

Those are criminal. Especially the first two.
Theres' also Celine Dion's Titanic screed.

But what's missing from this thread are 5 deadly words: "Music from and inspired by..."

I think this dastardly trend has waned a bit, but there have been a slew of dreadful albums associated with films -- mostly comprised of songs that aren't even in the damn movie.

The worst offender I can think of is the Mission Impossible 2 "soundtrack," which includes Limp Bizkit dancing on the corpse of the Mission Impossible theme. That song's probably in the movie, but I know many were not.

Great point. I think I can top your Limp Bizkit...... Neil Diamond..."Turn on Your Heart Light."
Good grief, as if E.T. wasn't sappy enough on it's own. Neil...stick to "Cracklin Rosie" and writing covers for the Monkees.

[srd....]

any soundtrack that goes with a hip-hop film,should be burned along with the film's,like those rubbish friday films,for two reasons.one:the soundtracks always have those inspired nonsense track's on them,just to pad the c.d out and two:every time someone buy's one of those's soundtracks,it only encourages people to make more of those bloody films.

also why is it when ever you buy a soundtrack,that one tune you heard in the film and really liked and the only reason you even considered buying the soundtrack,is never on it :mad:

it's a conspiracy i tell thee......